Electroresponsive device



De c. 15, 1936. w GOFF 2,064,656

ELECTRORESPONS IVE DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor:

Roberc \A/ GOFF,

by His A cbowneg.

Dec. 15, 1936. w. GQFF 2,064,656

ELECTRORESPONS IVE DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITWQGTWJCO-TI Robe-why @01 b v 8 W g i t Attorney.

Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRORESPONSIVE DEVICE Robert W. Gofl, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 28, 1935, Serial No. 8,652

8 Claims.

wherein deenergization of the electrical trans-' lating devices, for example, electric motors, in the circuit is accomplished upon a predetermined dip in the line voltage, the electroresponsive device being effective to reenergize the circuit if the voltage dip exists for a predetermined time only and to prevent automatic reenergization of the circuit if the dip in voltage exists beyond that time. It has heretofore been proposed to combine an electroresponsive device of this type with manually operable means for interrupting the circuit independently of the voltage conditions. Much is yet to be desired, however, in a combined'manually operable and automatic undervoltage protective station so arranged that either instantaneous or timed operation can be had at any time without possibility of injury to the operating mechanism. Accordingly, it is a further object of my invention to provide an electroresponsive device adapted to open a circuit with a time delay in response to conditions in the circuit to be controlled, the electroresponsive device being provided with manually operable means for interrupting the circuit at will without injury to the automati-' cally operable mechanism.

In carrying out my invention in one form, I provide an electroresponsive device energizable in accordance with the voltage of a circuit to be controlled and a timing mechanism for delaying the opening of a pair of circuit controlling contacts upon the occurrence of a dip in the line voltage, the timing mechanism being driven by a segmental gear mounted on a floating pivot and rotatable about the pivot in accordance with the energization of the electroresponsive device. Instantaneous operation of the contacts is obtained by moving the floating pivot in a direction to disengage the segmental gear from the driving element of the timing device, and means are also provided for insuring that the segmental gear and the driving element of the timing device return to meshable relation after an instantaneous operation of the contacts.

As a further aspect of my invention, I provide a control device manually operable by means of a control lever or shipper rod for closing a pair of contacts to energize the eleotroresponsive device and maintain a holding circuit therefor, the control device being arranged automatically to free the contacts for automatic operation to the open circuit position by the electroresponsive device at any time.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference should now be had to the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an electroresponsive device embodying my invention applied to an under-,

voltage protective system; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of a portion of the mech-' anism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the timing mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. .5 is a sectional view of a control device for providing shipper rod operation of the electroresponsive device shown in Fig. 1; Fig. v6 is an elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 5 with certain parts broken away to show the construction more clearly; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line l'l of Fig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4- inclusive, I have shown my invention in one form as applied to a combined automatic undervoltage and manually operable control station comprising an electroresponsive device l and a pair of manually operable push buttons Ii and l2 for controlling the energizing winding l3 of a contactor l4 which is connected in a load circuit represented by the conductors l and i6 and which is provided with a pair of interlock contacts H. The electroresponsive device i0 comprises an energizing winding l8 and a movable magnetic element I9 normally biased by gravity to its unattracted position and connected by means of a link to an operating member or segmental gear 2| pivoted on a movable pivot pin 22. When the segmental gear 2i is in the position shown in the drawings, an end portion 23 thereof engages a switch member 24 which is mounted on a force exerted on the switch member 24 by a spring 28.

In order to provide for time delay operation Of the magnetic element i 9 and the segmental gear 2| from the attracted position of the magnetic element l9 to the position shown in the drawings, I provide time delay means including a toothed element or driving pinion 29 arranged to mesh with the teeth 30 formed on the segmental gear. Although any suitable time delay mechanism may be provided which will permit substantially instantaneous operation of the pinion 29 in one direction and will provide time delay operation of the pinion in another direction, I have shown for purposes of illustration; a timing device of the type described and claimed in Patent No. 1,967,880, issued July 24, 1934, to William J. Fleming and me. This timing device comprises an oscillating weight 3| rotatably mounted on a shaft 32 to which the pinion 29 is secured, which weight is arranged to be driven by an escapment gear 33 connected to a shaft 34 which operates a driving member 35 adjustably secured to a pin 38, one end of which nests within a slot 31 in the oscillating weight 3|. The shaft 32 supports a second escapement gear 38 for driving the escapement gear 33.

In order to permit substantially instantaneous operation of the segmental gear 2| when the winding 8 is energized, the escapement gear 38 is provided with a one-way clutch which is effective to establish a driving connection between the shaft 32 and the gear 38 only when the magnetic element l9 moves to its 'unattracted position upon deenergization of the winding l8. Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the escapement gear 38 is cylindrical in form, the inner surface of the gear being provided with aplurality of serrations or very fine gear teeth 39. Supported by the shaft 32 is a spider 40 on which are pivotally supported a plurality of clutch members 4| provided with sharpened ends for engaging the teeth 39 when the shaft is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8, the clutch members 4| being ineffective 1 to establish a driving connection with the escapement gear 38 when the shaft 32 is rotated in the opposite direction.

In order to provide for substantially instantaneous operation of the switch member 24 to the open circuit position, the stop button II is mounted on a pair of movable arms 42, one of which is provided with a pin 43 arranged to engage a projection 44 on the switch member 24. The movable arms 42 are pivoted on a fixed pivot pin 45 and support the movable pin 22 on which the segmental gear 2| is pivoted,

and a spring'46, one end of which engages the pin 45 and the other end of which is secured to the segmental gear 2|, is provided for biasing the gear 2| and the movable arms 42 to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The start button I2 is normally biased by a spring (not shown) to the open circuit position shown in the drawings and is provided with a pair of fixed contacts 41.

Having in mind the construction and arrangement of the principal elements thereof, it is believed that a complete understanding of my in vention may now be had from a description of the operation. When the start button I2 is depressed to close the contacts 41, an energizing circuit for the winding l3 of the contactor i4 is completed which may be traced from the supply line 48 through the contacts 41, the conductor 49, the conductor 50, the winding i3 and the conductor 5| to the supply line 52. Simultaneously with the closing of the contactor l4, the interthe contacts 21.

lock contacts H are closed to establish an energizing circuit for the electroresponsive device II), which circuit may be traced from the supply line 48 through the contacts 41, the conductors 49, 58 and 53, the interlock contacts H, the conductor 54, the energizing winding l8 and the conductor 55 to the supply line 52. Upon the energization of the winding iii, the magnetic element l9 will be moved to its attracted position and the segmental gear 2| will be rotated about its pivot to permit the switch member 24 to move in accordance with the bias exerted by the spring 28 to establish a holding circuit for the contactor i4 and the electroresponsive device ID. The holding circuit for the winding |3 may be traced from the supply line 48 through the conductor 56, the contacts 21 and the bridging member 26, the conductor 50, the winding |3and the conductor 5| to the supply line 52, and the holding circuit for the electroresponsive device l0 may be traced from the supply line 48 through the conductor 56, the contacts 21 and the bridging member 26, the conductors 50 and 53, the contacts H, the conductor 54, the winding l8 and the conductor 55 to the supply line 52. Since these holding circuits are automatically completed as soon as the contactor I4 is closed it I will be seen that it is only necessary momentarily to depress the start button I 2.

It will be apparent that the contactor 4 and the electroresponsive device ID will remain in their respective energized positions so long as normal voltage is maintained across the supply lines 48 and 52. in voltage, however, the windings l3 and I8 will be deenergized, the contactor 4 immediately moving to the position shown in the drawings to deenergize the load circuit and the magnetic element 19 of the device I8 being released for movement to the position shown in the drawings. Movement of the magnetic element I8 and the segmental gear 2| to this position, however, is retarded by the time delay mechanism so that the switch member 24 is not immediately operated to its open circuit'position. Accordingly, if normal voltage should return to the supply lines 48 and 52 before the device ID has completely timed out, the winding l3 of the contactor M will be reenergized through the previously traced holding circuit and the interlock contacts l1 will close to reestablish the previously traced energizing circuit for the winding l8.

If it is desired to, open the holding circuit instantaneously to deenergize the winding l3, it is only necessary to depress the stop button so as to move the arms 42 about the pivot pin 45.

When the arms 42 are so moved, the pin 43 will engage the projection 44 'and thereby operate the switch member 24 to open the circuit through The windings I3 and I8 are thereby deenergized and since the movable pivot 22 is at the same time operated to move the segment gear 2| out of engagement with the pinion 29, the segmental gear 2| and the magnetic element l9 will immediately move to the to retain the switch member 24 in its open circuit position when the stop button II is released.

Since the stop push button I I may be operated at any time, it will be apparent that the pinion 29 may come to rest in a position such that when the stop button II is released the pinion 28 will not be Upon the occurrence of a dip normal position shown in the drawings so as inmelhablerelaflonwiththe teeth 39 on the segmental gear 2| and, accordingly, I provide means for automatically positioning the pinion 29 in meshable relation with the segmental gear 2| after each instantaneous operation of the switch member 24 by means of the push button Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the segmental gear 2| is provided with a toothless portion 51, the teeth 36 extending from the end 23 of the segmental gear to the portion 51-. The curvature of the portion 51 is such that vwhen.the pinion 29 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 with a pair of adjacent teeth engaging the portion 51, the pinion 29 will be in meshable relation with the teeth 30. It will be remembered that the spring 46 surrounds the pivot pin 22 with one end of the spring engaging the fixed pivot pin 45 and the other end of the spring secured to the segmental gear 2| so that not only is the segmental gear urged in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 22, but also the pivot 22 is urged in a clockwise direction about the pivot 45 to move the pivoted end of the segmental gear 2| toward the pinion 29. It will be apparent, therefore, that if the pinion 29 comes to rest with one tooth thereof engaging the portion 51 at an angle, the frictional force exerted on the pinion 29 by the segmental gear 2| will quickly rotate the pinion 29 to the position shown in the drawings. If the pinion 29 comes to rest in a position such that one tooth is perpendicular to the surface 51, an unstable support is formed for the segmental gear 2| and the slightest movement of the segmental gear 2| will cause the pinion 29 to be rotated, and the segmental gear 2| will thereupon be quickly moved to the position shown in Fig. 2.

In certain applications of my invention, for example, in the control of manufacturing machinery, it is desirable to operate the control device from a distance. In many cases this may extended a short distance below the contacts 21, this extension being identified by the reference numeral 58.

Secured to a base 59 of the electro-responsive device is a pin 60 on which is slidably vmounted a reciprocal member 6| to which is pivotally connected a link 62 arranged to be operated through a lost motionconnection 63 by any suitable operating lever such as a shipper rod, one end of which is indicated by the reference numeral 64. The reciprocal member 6| is prodisposed in guides 10 in the control member 66. The control member 68 is also provided with an annular groove in which is mounted a circular spring H for urging the balls 69 into one or the other of the depressions 65 and 66. "In 1 order to operate the switch member 24 member 24.

between open and closed circuit positions, the control member 68 is provided with a circular groove 12 into which projects the extension 58 of the switch member 24, the sides of the groove 12 serving as the'sole operating connection between the operating lever 64 and the switch Secured to the reciprocal member 6| is a cam I3 having oppositely inclined faces meeting in a crest 14, and a circular spring is provided for engaging one or the other of the inclined faces of the cam 13 in order to move the reciprocal member 6| with a snap action, the spring 15 being held against movement by a pair of spaced plates 16 and 11 secured to the base 59 by means of a supporting arm 16.

When it is desired to energize the device In and the contactor I4, the shipper rod 64 is operated in a right-hand direction as viewed in the drawings, to take up the lost motion provided by the connection 63 and operate the link 62, the reciprocal member 6| and the cam I3 carried thereby toward the base 59. Longitudinal operation of the reciprocal member 6| in this direction urges the cam 13 against the spring 15 which engages the plate 11, and the spring 15 is thus forced up the right-hand inclined face of the cam 13 as the cam moves. As soon as the crest 14 of the cam passes through the spring I5, the spring contracts and exerts a force on the left-hand face of the cam 13, whereupon the reciprocal member 6| is operated with a snap action in a right-hand direction, the lost motion connection 63 permitting snap action independ ently of the control lever 64. As the reciprocal member 6| moves to the right the control member 68 is carried therewith, the springpressed balls 69 being maintained in the depression 66 to maintain a driving connection, and the leftvhand shoulder of the circular groove 12 engages the extension 58 of the switch member 24 to operate the switch member against the force exerted thereon by the segmental gear 2|. An energizing circuit is thereby completed for the winding l3 of the contactor I4 and for the energizing winding l8 of the device I0, which circuits have already been traced in connection with Fig. 1.

In order that the switch member 24 may be free, for automatic operation to its open circuit position by the electroresponsive device H], the manually operable control device is provided with means for automatically freeing the switch member 24 as soon as the'contacts 21 are closed. When the bridging member 26 on the switch member 24 engages the contacts 21, continued movement of the control member 68 in a right hand direction is prevented and the force exerted by the spring 15 is thereupon suificient to overcome the driving connection established by the balls 69 and the spring 1|. Accordingly, the reciprocal member 6| continues to move to the right and the balls 69 are forced by the inclined face of the depression 66 toward the crest 61. As soon as the balls 69 pass over the crest 61, the control member 68 is moved in a left-hand direction with a snap action by the spring TI to the position shown in Fig. 6, thereby freeing the end 58 of the switch member 24 for operation to the open circuit position at any time.

The switch member 24 may be manually operated to the open circuit position at any time simply by moving the control rod 64 in a lefthand direction, the operation of the control device being exactly the same as when the rod 64 is actuated to close the switch member 24, that is, the spring 15 passes over the crest l4 and engages the right-hand face of the cam 13 to move the reciprocal member 5| to the left with a snap action and when the switch member 24 reaches its extreme open position, the load imposed upon the control member 68 thereby will be suflicient to overcome the driving connection established by the balls 69 and the spring H, g

cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

l. A control device comprising a movable switch member, means including a gear having a portion arranged to engage said switch member for controlling the same, a movable pivot for said gear, electroresponsive means for eifecting rotation of said gear about said pivot in response to variations in the energization of said means, time delay means including a toothed element meshable with said gear for retarding the rotation of said gear in a direction to operate said switch member to one position upon a variation -in the energization of said electro-responsive means, and means for moving said pivot to disengage said gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously varying the energization of said electro-responsive means to effect movement of said gear, whereby said switch member is operated to said one position substantially instantaneously.

2. A control device comprising a movable switch member, means including a segmental gear for controlling said switch member, a movable pivot for said gear, electro-responsive means for effecting rotation of said segmental gear about said pivot in response to variations in the energization of said means, time delay means including a toothed element meshing with said segmental gear for retarding the rotation of said gear in a direction to operate said switch to one position, whereby said switch member is operated to said one position apredetermined time after a variation in the energization of said electro-responsive means, and means for moving said floating pivot to disengage said segmental gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously varying the energization of said electroresponsive means to eifect movement of said segmental gear, whereby said switch member is operated to said one. position substantially instantaneously.

3. A control device comprising a switch member normally biased to closed circuit position, means including a segmental gear for operating said switch member to open circuit position, a floating pivot for said gear, electroresponsive means for efiecting rotation of said segmental gear about said pivot in response to variations in the energization of said means, time delay means including a toothed element meshing with said segmental gear for retarding the rotation of said gear in a direction to operate said switch member to open circuit position, whereby said switch member is operated to open circuit position with a time delay, and means for moving said floating pivot to disengage said segmental gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously varying the energization of said electroresponsive means to effect movement of said segmental gear, whereby said switch member is operated to open circuit position substantially instantaneously.

4. A control device comprising a switch member normally biased to closed circuit position, means including a segmental gear for operating said switch member, a movable pivot for said segmental gear, an electromagnet having a movable element connected to said segmental gear, whereby said segmental gear is rotated about said pivot to operate said switch member to open circuit position when said electromagnet is deenergized and to closed circuit position when said electromagnet is energized, time delay means including a toothed element meshing with said segmental gear for retarding the rotation of said gear in a direction to operate said switch member to open circuit position, whereby said switch member is operated to open circuit position a.

predetermined time after deenergization of said electromagnet, and means for moving said pivot to disengage said segmental gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously deenergizing said electromagnet to effect movement 01 said segmental gear, whereby said switch member is operated to open circuit position substantially instantaneously. I

5. A control device comprising a movable switch member, means including a gear having a portion arranged to engage said switch member for controlling the same, a movable pivot for said gear, electroresponsive means for eflecting rotation of said gear about said pivot in response to variationsin the energization of said means, time delay means including a toothed element meshable with said gear for retarding the rotation of said gear in a direction to operate said switch member to one position upon a variation in the energization of. said electroresponsive means, means for moving said pivot to disengage said gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously varying the energization of said electroresponsive means to eflfect movement of said gear, whereby said switch member is operated to said one position substantially instantaneously, and means for automatically positioning said toothed element in meshable relation with said gear after instantaneous operation of said switch member.

6. In combination, a time delay mechanism including a rotatable toothed elementand a oneway clutch for permitting free operation 01 said element in one direction, a rotatable gear having a toothless portion normally adjacent said toothed element, amovable pivot for said gear, means for biasing said gear and said pivot to normal position, means for rotating said gear about said pivot whereby said toothed element is driven insaid one direction. said time delayincluding a rotatable driving pinion and a onewayclutehiorpermitflngireeopenflonotddu pinion in one direction, a. segmental gear having a toothless portion of its periphery normally adjacent said pinion, a movable pivot for said segemntal gear, means for rotating said segmental gear about said pivot, whereby said pinion is driven in said one direction, said time delay mechanism retarding return movement of said segmental gear to its normal position, means for moving said pivot to disengage said gear from said pinion whereby return movement of said gear is unrestrained, means for biasing said segmental gear to said normal position, and means including said biasing means for automatically positioning said pinion in meshable relation with said segmental gear after said gear has returned to said normal position.

8. A combined automatic undervoltage and manual control station comprising an electroresponsive device having a movable element, a movable pivot, a segmental gear mounted on said pivot and connected to said movable element for operation thereby about said pivot, a switch member biased to closed circuit position and arranged to be operated from said position by said segmental gear, manual switch means for momentarily initially energizing said electroresponsive device to operate said segmental gear away from said switch member, whereby said switch member moves to closed circuit position to establish a holding circuit for said electroresponsive device, time delay means including a toothed element meshing with said segmental gear for retarding movement of said gear toward said switch member upon the occurrence of undervoltage conditions, whereby said switch member is operated to open circuit position with a time delay, and manual means for moving said pivot to disengage said segmental gear from said time delay means and for simultaneously opening said holding circuit to said electroresponsive device.

' ROBERT W. GOFF. 

